Karol Szymanowski

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JSTOR helps people discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content through a powerful research and teaching platform, and preserves this content for future generations. JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit organization that also includes Ithaka S+R and Portico. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. KAROL SZYMANOWSKI By ZDZISLAW JACHIMECKI F OREMOST among the musical compositions written in Poland within recent years are the works of Karol Szyma- nowski. He first appeared before the public as a composer in 1905, but at that time fourteen unpublished works had accumu- lated in his desk. His productive period, accordingly, runs back about twenty years from the present day. In 1900 our composer began to write his first poems for the piano, without the guidance of a master and unprepared by serious schooling. The young man had grown up in a truly artistic atmosphere in the house of his father, a country gentleman, where none but the best classical and romantic composers were given a hearing. And there, removed from the narrowing influence of any particular school, and in close and continual contact with nature, his mind was formed, like that of Walther von Stoltzing, by the study of the works of the great composers of the past. The great beauties of nature, the broad landscape of his native country, were the inspiration and the back- ground for his first lyric essays. These works were the musical expression of that landscape. Left to himself Szymanowski mastered, unaided, the technical means involved in the utterance of his subtle impressions. The first piano preludes portrayed with absolute faithfulness the spiritual profile of the youth of eighteen. The nine short pieces of this Opus 1 were written from 1900 to 1902. As we have remarked, the public in Poland first became acquainted with the new talent in 1905. The lyric sincerity of these works, the charmingly poetic ideas, the beauty of melodic invention, the harmonic variety and, finally, the elegance of technique and fine- ness of form, commanded universal admiration. Scarcely a trace of reminiscence, hardly an echo of another's phrase, appear in this music. It is filled with melancholy and longing. Its habitual mood is sad and tender, but at times it bursts into full flame and becomes dramatic. It is clearly expressive of the highly culti- vated spirit of its author and is a true exponent of his personality. While it is thoroughly Polish in its character, it is not always in the popular vein. Since the days of Chopin, Polish music has not 93 Karol Szymanowski 24 The Musical Quarterly again reached the high level attained by Szymanowskiin his nine Preludes. Op. 1, No. 2 Andante con moto ~~~~~~PP~~~~~~~~~~~~~etc.I -^ 1 - - 1 From the very beginning Szymanowskidisdained the vulgar. The sonorous qualities of some of his preludes are an evidence of the composer'sskill and refinement. There is not one banal idea. The sixth prelude is an early manifestation of the child of this splenetic and decadent century. Extremely complicated in melody and harmony, it stands out among the other preludes with its Tristan chromatics. After these little piano poems Szymanoswki began to write songs. His technique did not yet suffice for larger works. In 1901 and 1902 he wrote his first six songs to verses by Kazimierz Tetmajer. They are not as valuable as the preludes. In the field of instrumental music, Szymnanowski'smelodic invention was very personal and original. But he could not accommodate it to the human voice. He had not yet solved the mysteries of vocal art, had not mastered its technical problems, its power of expression, its aesthetic significance. Like many German and Russian composers he was unwilling to subject himself to the limitations of the voice. He endeavored to conform his vocal writing to the conditions of abstract musical expression. His first songs have not the individual characterof his piano preludes. There is more of intellect than of inspiration in them. Their organic defects are due also to the feeble character of the poetry. Vocal music of this kind is more suitable for private contemplation than for public concert performance. In 1903 Szymanowskibegan to devote himself to the regular study of the theory of composition. ZygmuntNoskowski, a Polish composer of note, was his teacher. The result of this schooling soon became evident. The extremely talented pupil began his course with the constructionof fugues and variations. He entered upon his studies with a clear perception of the meaning of forms and of logical ideas. Early in this period under Noskowski he wrote the piano fugue in C-sharp minor, which bears no opus Karol Szymanowski 25 number. In 1909 the composer added a prelude and with this work won a prize in a competition instituted by the Berlin musical journal, "Signale fiir die musikalische Welt." The fugue subject is quite mature. It shows no trace of the school atmosphere. This fugue appeals to the emotions through its underlying lyric substance. Here excellent counterpoint is wedded to the poetry of music. The prelude, written six years after the fugue, was acknowledged by the judges of the competition as one of the boldest harmonic essays of the times. We look back to-day upon the year 1909 with an indulgent smile, so great, so rapid has been the evolution of ideas on harmony since then. But Szymanowski's prelude will ever remain interesting in its harmonic conception. Measures 17 and 18 from the Praeludium Thecomposition of 1903 was the beginning of a series o The composition of 1903 was the beginning of a series of masterly fugues. We find them in a number of Szymanowski's works. His constructive technique in this form is incomparable. While still under the guidance of Noskowski, Szymanowski wrote his first piano variations, Opus 3, in B-minor. The theme is characteristically Polish. The variations that follow are good examples of the modern style in this musical form. In the first variation the theme retains its original form, but it is hidden in an inner voice under garlands of skillful figuration. In the later variations we can barely perceive the original theme in the general contours of the music and in the rhythmic scheme. The rhythms vary greatly and are often quite emancipated from the basic theme. The element of virtuosity becomes more and more brilliant. The ninth variation is an example of salon music of the highest type. This truly distinguished Tempo di Valse shows how easily Szymanowski could have acquired renown as a composer of clever piano pieces, had he followed in the footsteps of Schiitt or Chaminade. Although not a piano virtuoso, Szymanowski mastered thoroughly the secrets of his instrument. He began to transcend the style of Chopin, Liszt and Brahms, at times even ignoring the 26 The Musical Quarterly physical capabilities of hands and fingers. In some of the studies of,Opus 4, especially in the second, which is like a development of Chopin's No. 10 and No. 21, he has presented to the player problems which are not easy of solution. Op. 4, No. 2 Allegro molto i-a_ A eAc- 37 3-. The third study, B-minor, in modo d'una canzona, shows the influence of Scriabine. It was written in 1904. At first this Russian influence is merely sporadic. In fact, up to Opus 15 Szymanowskiinclines more to the Germanstyle. To it he owed much, both as to the forms and as to the spirit of his works. Following the three vocal works written in 1904 the development of Szymanowski'stalent proceededgradually and normally. In 1905 he composed his first piano sonata, Opus 8. Five years later this sonata was awardedthe first prize in a competitionheld in connection with a Chopin festival in Lemberg. It is hard to understand that a work so great and so deeply felt should be the exercise of a pupil in composition. Its form and disposition are quite classical, but its content breathes the romantic spirit and rises to full dramatic expression. The first theme of the Sonata, Op.8 Allegro moderato The ideas are clear; the contrasts striking. The second movement The ideasare clear; the contrastsstriking. The secondmovement is a melodious song for the instrument;the third, a dainty minuet; and the last, a splendid double fugue. The theme of the fugue is clearly connectedwith the main theme of the first movement,which appears in full in the fugue. This sonata, with its virile frame, throbs with the warmth of young blood and sparkles with color. Karol Szymanowski 27 For a musical intellect like Szymanowski's it was not difficult to adapt the sonata form to the intimate dialog of music for the chamber and the home. In the same year, 1905, our composer wrote his first sonata for violin and piano, Opus 9.

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